No apologies necessary. I was attempting to make a point. That point, now perhaps better stated, is that the WTG pass is a beard reduction pass and that scything, while it may remove more whiskers, is still just reducing beard. On the later passes, XTG and ATG, aimed at getting a closer shave, scything can be more beneficial.

As for being more gentle on the blade's edge, I never scythe and can easily get from 40-60 shaves between touch-ups by merely stropping.

In the end, if I have to choose between my blade and my face, I know whose side I'm on.

If that is incorrect, I'm sorry. I've never actually made a mistake. I thought I had made a mistake once, but I was wrong.